Visitor 37

So, first real new post instead of a re-upload on this account.. for those of you who instantly jumped to this chap or forgot to read the AN in the first chap, I am elfinmyth, and needed a new account for my M-rated work, basically. Sadly only about 80 of the previous 1750 followers seem to have found this story again, but I hope to entertain those 80 readers with the following chapter :P
Thank you especially to all those who missed my AN's on my other account before they got removed and asked me where the story had gone through PM ^^ I'm glad you like the story that much!

It's probably more than a year ago since I wrote the chapter where Harry went through an ibu, so I'll explain the concept once more: it's a state where your magic retreats to somewhere it can't be reached after heavy magical exhaustion, so it can heal and multiply. The magician won't be able to cast any spells and will be forced to live as a squib for some time.


While a very seldom seen smile adorned his face, a short man, covered head to toe in an odd, furry grey cloak, strode through the shadowy corridors of the castle. It was late in the evening and the suits of armour and stone statues looked grim and cold, the reason for the man's cheerfulness unclear. The figure hurried onwards, before stopping in front of a wooden door, not unlike the others, were it not for the fact that from underneath it, the only light in the castle seemed to seep.

"Good evening, Athiyeh," he said upon entering, voice gruff, sounding as if it wasn't often used.

"Night, rather," the only other occupant of the room answered. He was tall, with caramel-coloured skin and half-long hair, scars criss-crossing the exposed skin of his face and neck, his tone low. "What brings you here? And don't tell me I make such good company."

"Don't worry, you don't," Eyolf replied. "I merely wanted to discuss the last happenings with you." After that, he narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air, before raised a bushy eyebrow. "Saffron?" he asked, surprised, and Sameer's eyes quickly flicked to the incense stick that stood on a nearby table.

"None of your business. And yes, I heard… The castle hasn't been decorated in black banners for nothing. Apparently we are in need of a few new teachers?"

"Trelawney died in the battle, and Sprout as well. The rest of those who are in the Order was either at other headquarters or here at Hogwarts."

"Do you know if the Dark Lord is concerning himself with this issue? It would be a prime opportunity…" Sameer said, pondering silently.

"Sadly, no news from that side. If Dumbledore won't find any other teachers though, the Board will, and most on the School Board are on our side. I don't know whether he'll succeed or not. On one hand, Divination and Herbology are no courses like DADA, for which hardly anyone wants to apply, but on the other hand, Dumbledore is losing his popularity, and Hogwarts isn't seen as very safe anymore. Anyone applying here, willing to work with Dumbledore, would instantly be seen as an enemy of the Dark… Even the teachers who aren't in the Order and have little to do with Dumbledore are my targets."

"You have to spy on them?"

"Naturally." The assassin answered in a cool voice. "Their every move is documented and sent to Voldemort."

Sameer's hand twitched at the name, a movement at which the other man raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment further.

"Since when do you call him by that name?"

"Since he's not around to hear it. It's not as if he has fairies floating around and blabbing to him about whether or not you call him 'Dark Lord', 'Voldemort' or 'Fifi'," Eyolf huffed, shrugging one of his shoulders. He ignored the choked noise Sameer made and started picking his nails. "Also, do you have any information about what Dumbledore is currently doing? You had a short talk with him before, didn't you?"

"It was merely to update me about that Hogwarts is in a crisis, and he recommended me to keep a low profile if I didn't want to join the Order."

"He asked you to join?" the assassin sharply said.

"Basically."

"You declined?"

"I do have my pride." Sameer answered, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, I know it would be a great opportunity to spy, but I would, for the sake of appearances, have to fight with the Order, against my fellow brothers and sisters on the Dark Side. I swore my life to the Dark Lord, and will never do anything that could negatively affect him. That includes harming those on the Dark Side to convince Dumbledore I'm on his side. I am perfectly content to hide behind my 'Ministry worker' mask and tell him off with the lie of that my loyalty lies in the 'Neutral' area."

"You don't believe in the greater good? A few lives now to save a lot later?" Eyolf asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Not until I think it is the only way."

"You are very lucky to have escaped the Guild. Your ideals would not have survived. They would have either died during brainwashing, or with you."

"I never said I wasn't lucky. Now for something else, I received post for you."

"And you only tell me now?" the assassin hissed. "I agreed to let you handle any owls in my name as it would be suspicious for me to receive any, but you should have told me the minute it arrived!

"It arrived only a few hours ago… I didn't have time"

"You have seas of time," the other grumbled, after which Sameer rose with surprising quickness from his chair, his hands balled at his side.

"Don't you dare act high and mighty. You don't know me, or anything about me apart from how I escaped the Guild. You know nothing of my sacrifices, and your sentences just now proved it again. Seas of time? That there are no students in the castle whom I have to teach, doesn't mean I can spend my day lazing around. I have numerous tasks that keep me busy, and every minute I have to spare is time lost to me as well," Sameer bit with uncharacteristic fierceness. "Don't you dare to judge merely by observing."

The other kept silent during the tirade, and took a few steps forward, placing his hand on the other's shoulder to push him back down in the chair. "Well, no need to get worked up. My apologies if I offended you. I should have taken… every one of my senses into account, not merely my eyes, when I saw you sitting with yours closed for hours," Eyolf gruffly said, nodding his head to the incense stick, of which the smoke was still filling the room. "Now, could I have my mail?"

"Of course…" Sameer answered, releasing a long breath while he pulled out a letter from within his robes. "I must say, I was glad that the castle was empty. Crows are unusual message birds."

"A crow?" Eyolf asked, his head jerking up.

"You know who it's from then?"

"I have a hunch. I will look at it… later."

"Was there anything else you wished to discuss?" Sameer asked.

"I do now I have this… No matter the content, I will need to get away from Hogwarts for at least a day because of this. When Dumbledore asks where I am, or anyone else, make something up for me. I'll inform you of when I will be gone." The other nodded, so wise as to not ask for further details. "Also, it seems the Order is upset about a missing member… Black has disappeared."

The other's eyes widened as he heard the news. "That is either very bad or very good news… It can mean that the Dark Lord hunted him down and made him disappear, or that Black came up with a plan to 'save' his godson all on his own as Dumbledore didn't let him."

"If it's the latter, we really do have a problem. He may have lost his touch and gone slightly crazy, but he used to be a top-Auror… That so many people readily believed him to be a mass murderer and the betrayer of the Potters wasn't because everyone saw him as such a lovable person. When he was convicted, no-one even thought of the possibility of him being innocent. From what I've heard and seen of him, he really can be ruthless when he feels the need to. All the better that Potter will get some… extra protection." Eyolf stated, his fingers drumming on the envelope. "That boy is a storm, powerful, but out of control, not knowing where he is heading himself, his impact far greater than he can oversee."

"You don't like him? He seemed nice enough when I met him… Although when I arrived at the castle and taught him, he seemed a lot... different."

"I've seen him immensely enjoy a lesson in torture from the Dark Lord..." the assassin spoke quietly, but his fond tone went against his words and didn't quite fit the content.

Sameer gave the other a calculating look before shrugging it off. "Any more sudden news?"

"I hear a lot, but most of it isn't your concern… I shall return to my room now. Good night."

When the grey-cloaked man was gone, Sameer walked over to his desk, leaning his palms on the oaken surface. His hand wandered over a few books before he finally grabbed one, a thick, dusty tome, and returned to his seat, making sure the incense was still burning before he cracked the book open, chanted a small spell, and closed his eyes.


March to equality continues

by Rita Skeeter

Through all the chaos, there has been one side that keeps a distance from the war. What is this side and why do they seem to be unaffected by everything? The answer is simple. A race that wizards have always denied as having any intelligence as all, has grown out to be a formidable nation: Goblins. They have kept our money safe for eras, and in turn, we have shunned them and denied them all and every right they tried to gain. But why are we fighting for equal rights for all, when we are forgetting one obvious, important group? True, our history with them has been bloody, but isn't that even one more reason to try and leave the past behind? The Dark wants equality without exception, and will listen to the cries of all those who ask, to be judged fairly. Goblins have magic, their own, unique type of magic, but they can only use it rudimentary as they have been forbidden by Wizarding laws to bear a means to channel their magic. I do hope that you share our opinion, as for the first time in centuries, there is a wizard powerful enough to put a stop to the wand-ban for Goblins.

"Happy?" Rita sneered.

"Very," the other replied, a pleased smile on her face as she closed the Quibbler. "Yes, I'm very happy about this. Finally, there will be less injustice in the world."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Goblins are nasty little creatures. They'll take whatever they can get. Offer them this, and they'll keep demanding for more. I warn you, Granger, you don't know what you have unleashed!"

"Granger, is it now?" the girl hissed, her eyes narrowing in a cat-like fashion. "I do believe, Rita, that we're far past the point where one will call the other on first-name base."

"You're disillusioned, brat. The wizards will never agree, and I dare to say the Goblins won't either."

"Why wouldn't they? This is what they want…"

"But not in the way they want it… They're no diplomats, those creatures of the earth. They want to achieve victory through bloodshed, not talking."

"It will still be the only way for them to get what they want at all… surely they'll be happy…"

"About as happy as if you were to force clothes on elves to 'free' them! You're not playing by their rules Hermione! You'll make not only enemies in the Wizarding world, but also among the goblins!"

"I would almost say you're concerned for me…" Hermione threw back, lifting her chin. Rita pressed her red lips together until they former a thin line, and leaned forwards, her face close to the other's.

"And what if I am?" she whispered, fury still in her voice, before she abruptly pulled away and stormed out of the room, leaving the girl speechless, her hands clutching the draft version of the article.


Harry awoke to the most peculiar sound... it somehow reminded him of his aunt Marge, and he knew that he'd definitely not been awoken to it for years... He groaned, burying his face in his pillow and pulling the blankets over himself as the yowling and yapping continued. Someone next to him roughly left the bed, and Harry thankfully accepted the rest of the blanket, pulling all of it over his ears.

"I'll kill the mutt!" he heard a voice growl before hurried, harsh footsteps left the room. It was only then that Harry's mind vaguely registered what the sound had to be, and he mentally rolled his eyes. Trust Sirius to try and wake everyone up in the morning. Maybe that dog house idea of Marvolo wasn't so bad after all… he yawned, not bothered enough to leave his warm, comfy spot, but his eyes snapped open when the happy barking turned into a pained whine before falling silent.

In record time, he'd left the bed, threw a robe on and hurried towards the spot his sudden, thudding headache originated from. Fearing for the worst, he opened the door to the dining room, only to breathe in relief when seeing Sirius sitting on the floor, glaring up at Marvolo.

"Eight o'clock! Eight!" the other fumed. "Being in my house means respecting SILENCE." Marvolo yelled. Harry slowly slipped in and walked up behind the man before embracing him. The sleepiness started to return to him after finding out Sirius was still alive, and he breathed in deeply, something he should not have done, as the intoxicating smell that suddenly assaulted his nostrils made him moan quietly. Marvolo looked down, suddenly calmed and amused –and if Harry felt his mood correctly, also instantly horny.-

"But…" Sirius started, looking like a beaten puppy. "I thought I smelled a cat."

Two pair of eyes gave him a disbelieving look. "A cat." Marvolo repeated. "You woke the whole manor because you thought you might have smelled a cat."

"Hold on." Harry frowned. "Since when are there cats here?"

"I sometimes bring them as snacks for Nagini and Arzòn when they get tired of rats and mice." The man answered. "But Black, if you cannot contain your… animalistic instincts, go do so outside, or in silence. Or I will make it a lot easier for myself and lock you up after all."

Sirius' face darkened at the threat, and Harry stepped in quickly to avoid further conflict. "Sirius, please. Try not to wake the house before everyone is up yet... or at least us. That being said, your timing wasn't that bad. There's a lot to do after all." He turned to Marvolo. "At least, according to Tabby, the whole house had to be polished from cellar to attic because there were guests coming?"

"Yes," Marvolo sighed, "It's been some time since we last met with the Muggles."

Harry narrowed his eyes, remembering Sarah. "I remember," he growled. "What should we answer when they ask after her?"

"Nothing. We're above them and don't have to answer to anything they want to know. Do remember that we will be their future rulers. Though in all actuality, I doubt they will ask after her. She should have informed them of her leaving herself. If not, she will never be safe, and she knows that."

"Hold on, Muggles? What Muggles?" Sirius suddenly butted in.

"The Muggles my followers established contact with, Black."

"Wait... you… you actually… Are you inviting Muggles? Here? Defiling your house?"

"Yes Sirius," Harry answered, a bit tired of the man already. "Muggles. Here. Talking. Marvolo, do you know when exactly they'll arrive?"

"Not for a while yet. Around nine thirty I believe. However, I did want to eat before that, and there is some work left still that I could move to the morning so I have a bit of spare time in the evening."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"Not exactly. Perhaps you should go and pay Slughorn a visit. I haven't checked on that man in a while yet, not since your last lesson with him. I need to know how his potion stocks are. I assume his collection took a blow after the raid on Friday. I'd appreciate it if you could help him brew some new pepper-up and blood-replenishing potions. They're easy to make, but I need a large quantity of them and he can't look after all cauldrons himself. He is a very good potion master, but sadly he only has two hands and eyes."

"And the House-elves?" Harry asked, not looking forward to spending some hours down in the dungeons standing in potion fumes.

"I can lend you one, but that's all, I'm sorry."

"Better than nothing I suppose. But first, breakfast?"

He got a nod in reply and the three of them walked towards the dining room, Sirius trailing a bit behind while Harry's arms wound around Marvolo's waist.

After breakfast, Harry kissed his lover goodbye and headed for the dungeons, leaving his godfather to fend for himself while Marvolo went to his study for whatever he had to do. Harry smiled to himself. It was probably not the man's intention, but having the evening free matched perfectly with Harry's plans. He didn't have a gift as fancy as his Christmas one, and he doubted he would be able to get anything that could top that, but he did want to spend a thought at his lover's birthday.

He was pretty surprised that all Muggles had replied and were willing to come at this day. Of course, New Year's celebrations were mostly celebrated in the evening, but as Muggles were dependant on slow transport, they wouldn't have time to travel to far-away family after the meeting. Not without the help of magic that is. Harry chewed on his cheek, wondering if it would be a good idea to give them some help, to promote the benefits they'd have in a world that accepted magic.

New Year hadn't been mentioned between the two of them yet, and neither had the fact that it was his love's birthday today. Well, the man had indicated some time ago that he didn't want to celebrate it, and Harry had no intention of putting the man in a foul mood by going against those wishes. Still, it hadn't sat well with him to just let the day pass without doing anything, so he did have a small gift after all, and would just leave unspoken what the reason for giving it were in the first place, preferring to show his care through his actions rather than with words.

He quickly found Slughorn, who had made his home in one of the dungeons, transformed and enlarged so it more resembled a stuffed villa… So unlike Snape, who actually seemed to like the slimy dungeon walls… perhaps because it matched his hair… and personality. Slimy and cold… It had been a long time since he heard anything from his former professor, and he didn't miss the snarky conversations one bit.

That didn't mean that he liked Slughorn any better… The man tried to cling onto his former glory and contacts, pictures of famous people he helped gain their position lining the walls in a desperate attempt to still be associated with them. And amongst them, to Harry's fury, was Lily Potter, her green eyes kind, but Harry couldn't help but avoid them. He knew that in his parent's eyes, he would have betrayed them and everything they stood for. He sometimes thought about whether or not Slughorn had done it intentionally, to remind him of his choices, but if so, it made him only more firm in his decision. He would fight for the freedom he so rightfully deserved.

The potions took his mind off of the whole situation with Sirius for a while, and he was glad to do something with his hands. He ignored any of Slughorn's attempts to make conversation, sighing deeply when the man finally seemed to give up altogether. He couldn't wait for this afternoon to be over, filled with boring talks with Muggles yet again…

XxX

Having been left on his own, Sirius had transformed himself into a dog again, and was stalking in the shadows, pacing up and down, preferring his mind like this. Life was much simpler as a dog… Judging people by their smell and voice instead of their past actions… Sadly, he had used it so much that his human mind and dog mind were blurring together sometimes, and he still couldn't shake his worries about Harry off, and the cold feeling he got whenever thoughts of Voldemort entered his mind.

He raised his head abruptly when the fireplace flared up and Death Eaters stepped through, Muggles clinging onto their hands and cloaks. He growled low when recognising a few of the Death Eaters, having personally fought them before. He wondered about whether or not he should transform back, and in the end decided it might be better, as words were hard to follow when in his animal form. He did still keep in the shadows, and watched as the people took their seats at the long table.

The doors on the other side of the room creaked as they swung open, Voldemort's tall, menacing form striding in, a shorter person with black hair and bright green eyes right behind him. Sirius shivered lightly when seeing Harry like this. In his eyes, the boy had always been so... innocent. To know that Harry wasn't so deep in this because he was forced to but because he wanted to was a hard pill to swallow. He'd always sworn to James, Lily and himself, that he would be a good godfather and keep Harry out of any real trouble, but here he was, watching as his godson took his place on the left side of the most powerful Dark Lord in history, the murderer of the teen's parents.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to understand Harry's choice, or how it had come to be… but he would do his best to honour his promise to his now gone best friends after all. To protect Harry against those who wanted to harm him. And for the first time in his life, he found himself fighting against the Light.

"Black." he suddenly heard, and looked up, tensing, meeting red eyes. "Are you going to stand there and stare or join us? If you don't choose the latter, please remove yourself from this room."

He swallowed and stepped forwards, wondering for how long Voldemort had known he was there. He looked away from the uncomfortable stare and looked at the others in the room, death eaters and Muggles alike, raising his eyebrows when one of the cloaked people suddenly jumped up, followed by another.

"No, you can't be Serious!"
"Actually brother dear... I think he is."
"Great master of pranks, teach us!"
"The most ancient magic of all…"
"The disappearing act!"

"Silence, both of you." Voldemort cut in, after which they both sat down again, though they had shaken off their hoods, two wild grinning faces looking up at him.

"Since when have you joined the Dark?" he asked in astonishment. The Twins merely looked at Voldemort, who waved his hand and rolled his eyes.

"While ago."
"Got fed up with Dumbles you know?"
"Never in for a stink bomb, that man."
"And the doors got warded."
"So we figured we'd get our info somewhere else."
"And now we have a shop!"
"And are filthy rich!"

"Well, good for you guys." Sirius sighed. Nothing would surprise him anymore. "And what about your parents? Are they in on the act?"

Their faces instantly fell, and Sirius tensed up. They couldn't… they couldn't have gone along with this and watched Molly and Arthur fall, right? Harry, he could slightly understand. He'd never known his parents… but the Weasleys had always been a very tight family… to have that torn apart over the war…

"Imprisoned." one of them mumbled. "We still need to try and talk some sense into them."
"They're brainwashed by Dumbles' ideals and lies."
"Not sure if he used spells on them like on us but…"

"Now, enough of this, I'm sure we'd all rather be somewhere else today so I shall try to keep this meeting as short as possible. Things I want to discuss are the last updates in this war. Sit down, Black." Sirius moved to one of the few empty chairs and sat in between two Muggles. "Good. Now, you all read the Quibbler now, so I'm sure you've heard some things, but to put it a bit more concrete: Last week there was a clash between the Order of the Phoenix and our Side. The Ministry was held off. Sadly, they seem to have grown explosively, and only a handful was still in the old headquarters. Nonetheless, we trampled them and the reinforcements they sent. They've been thrown off for now and will have to lick their wounds."

"I thought this would go without bloodshed?" One of the Muggles interrupted.

"Unnecessary bloodshed. Pitifully, they didn't listen to me and continued to oppose me. Every member of the Order has now been declared an enemy. Exact numbers are not clear, but we have obtained another valuable informant from within the organization, and then there's also mister Black, and a few… prisoners."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "If you think I'm going to give you information, you snake, then-"

"Sirius." Harry said, with a cold, hard voice, his eyes unrecognisable and stony. "There's no time. If any of us want to be safe, we'll have to stick together, and fight together."

They were interrupted when the fireplace flared up green again, and a tall man stepped in, his blond hair braided back. "Ah, Yaxley." Voldemort said.

"My Lord." the man said, his eyes cold as he kneeled. "You wished for me to come?" Sirius narrowed his eyes. He'd always hated Yaxley immensely… it was one of the Death Eaters who had escaped trial by claiming to be under the influence of the Imperius curse, and evidence had been lacking in the turmoil. Using his connections, Yaxley had not only been let off, but also welcomed in the Ministry, the Law department, no less.

"Yes. Well, your timing is a bit off as I am in the middle of a meeting, but you are free to join… And after I want to discuss something with you."

"Actually," Harry interrupted. "I could talk to him now in another room?"

Eyes met, a pleading green gaze and an annoyed red one, and Sirius smiled behind his hand, knowing Harry was probably searching for an opportunity to ditch a boring meeting.

"Fine," Voldemort hissed after a short battle, even though he was the one who won it. Well, Sirius was pretty sure there was no one whose nerves were made of steel so hard that he would be able to hold the Dark Lord's gaze until said man looked away. Harry nearly jumped up, ignoring the surly look Voldemort gave him, and skipped out of the door, Yaxley on his heels. Sirius sighed and sank back in his chair, wishing to be somewhere else too.

"So, to continue… The order will need time to recover, and that gives us the opportunity to grow. The late minister of Magic has… disappeared. He could either be killed by one of the parties, or have fled, or be imprisoned, but in either case, he's not in office anymore and elections will follow soon. Because of the war, everything will go in a more hurried pace than usually, so candidates won't have time for a long campaign, a few weeks at most. The Ministry needs another leader, and both we and the order will try our hardest to win this. It's a prime opportunity after all. The one who has the Ministry, now a Neutral side still, will have the advantage of having legitimate power."

"Have you already chosen someone to put forward? And if so, can we meet him or her?"

"I have a few people in mind, but have not yet had the time to discuss it with them. However, in time you shall meet them."

"Please not Malfoy, that slimy git…" Sirius said, making a face.

"Actually, Black, Lucius would make a perfect Minister, in my opinion."

"The world is doomed…" the man muttered, crossing his arms.

"But sadly, Lucius is very busy with other things so we shall see. Onto the next topic: There has been very alarming news from the mainland. Dragons seem to have been stolen, and we are afraid they are going to be used in the war, most likely against their will. There has not been a sign of them, but the disappearance of tens of them has been reported thus far, all different species."

"You mean dragons... actual dragons… exist?" a man spluttered. "I read in that magazine but… I thought it may have been a hoax."

Voldemort sighed and pressed his fingers against where the bridge of his nose would have been if he'd had one. "You just discovered magic is real and wizards and witches exist. Why wouldn't dragons?"

"But... aren't they gigantic? How come they've never been spotted by… satellites or so?"

"Dragons are highly magical beings, and their magic prevents Muggle technology from picking them up. There have been cases of Muggles seeing dragons, but they either didn't live to tell others about it, or were Obliviated by the Ministry to protect the dragon population. After all, they are an endangered species and we didn't want tourists hunting them for resources or souvenirs… Animals like elephants and tigers are being hunted down to extinction for their fur and teeth… Imagine what would happen to dragons, of which there are only a few left. Even when the Muggle and magical worlds will have melded together, there will still be restrictions and barriers. Dragons will probably live in secluded, unpopulated areas, unless they indicate to choose otherwise."

"Indicate…? But they're animals aren't they?"

"Magical, intelligent animals… And I should know, as I am one of the few who can speak their language."

"You can speak with dragons?" a woman asked, astonished. "You didn't lie when you told us you were the most powerful wizard of all time…"

Sirius didn't know whether he wanted to bang his head against the table, laugh hysterically or burst out into tears when he realized it had come to the point where Dark Lord Voldemort was basically worshipped by Muggles.

"Indeed I didn't. But in conclusion, they have disappeared and we are doing our best to locate them so things will not get out of hand. Well, onto the next point. While targeting the Ministry, we can also target Hogwarts. Two teachers died during the attack, and Dumbledore has less than a week to find replacements for them, or the Ministry will do so, even without a Minister appointed. This means that, essentially, it will come down to the School Board, which is mainly in my hands."

"So you will be able to appoint the teachers?"

"Hopefully. I'm not sure though. The positions have been held by the same teachers for years and Dumbledore might be able to find replacements in time. He will surely make it a priority… Well, those were all updates on the war itself… Then there is another thing I wanted to show to all of you. Fred, George…?"

"Yes, my Liege!"
"Ladies and gentlemen…."
"Drumroll! where is our drumrollll!"
"Shut it Gred. Anyhow, we present to you!"
"The one and only…"
"Or not really but it was the first we made,"
"Magically powered electrical device!"
"Not that it's very useful but you know,"
"Had to start somewhere."
"And our dad loves rubber duckies so yeah."

This time, Sirius did break into a fit of howling laughter as a rubber duckie put a few waddling steps, even though the case where the battery should have been was empty, and instead what looked like three small orbs of light whizzed around it, now and then connecting to the metal things inside of the case.

"The concept is simple: electronics and magic don't go together well."
"So we simply replaced the electricity by magic,"
"That has been modified to act as electricity!"
"No expensive costs,"
"Easy to generate."
"And perfectly compatible with other magic, so it will keep working when confronted with that."
"End of commercial!"

The table was silent for a while, before one of the Muggles hesitatingly raised her hand. "Uhm. Not that it isn't… genius or anything, but what is the use and… why would you replace electricity by a source that can only be generated by a chosen few?"

"The thing is that electronically powered devices often fail when in the presence of magic. If magicians and Muggles are to mingle, this would cause many problems. Trains crashing, batteries dying instantly… now, magic is usually kept behind barriers, as wizards and witches live in communities in villages that can't even be found on Muggle maps. But if we are to spread, and use magic in our everyday lives, it would disrupt a lot of things. Before, I tried to see if there could be found a way to make magic less destructive for it, but that appeared to be impossible after some research. The only other solution to this is to make these devices run on magic, to avoid clashing. And yes, that will mean that there will be a power source that can only be generated by magicians, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Now, large energy companies hold power, also an elite…"

"And the jobs that will be lost with the fall of those companies?"

"Not everyone who works at such a company actually harvests the energy. The majority of those jobs will be kept. Just the power source will change. And as magic is all around us, literally hanging in the air and being generated by all magical beings, we will not run out of it as long as we exist."

"It can actually also be re-used." one of the twins happily said. "Magic replenishes itself when bound to a creature or object, and thus any magically powered device will not run out of its power. And once the object is broken or the owner gets rid of it, any magician can pull the magic away from the object and store that energy, to be recycled. As it's modified magic it can't be pulled inside a person's system anymore, but it can be stored in other objects and re-used."

"How will it be generated en masse though?" Voldemort suddenly asked, clasping his hands together. "I get the nauseating imagine of a farm, tapping magic off wizards."

"Of course not, my Lord!" one exclaimed, horrified.
"As we said, magic replenishes itself."
"Wizards and witches could donate small amounts of their magic monthly,"
"And we have found that, in this form, it grows exponentially."

"Well, keep up the work… this does have merit."

The twins' chests puffed with pride and sat down, snatching the ducky, which had started quacking too, off the table and stuffed it down their pockets. "We also developed and perfected several other items…"
"Which we could show you after?"

"Make that tomorrow. I want you to pay a visit to your parents after the meeting. And no, they have not been harmed as of yet."

A few of the Muggles threw some strange or pitiful looks at the teens, who ignored them, merely nodding. "Of course, my Lord." they answered simultaneously.

"Are there anymore questions?" Voldemort asked, and Sirius was surprised, having thought the meeting would take far longer than this. Of course, the fact that it was new year might have something to do with it, but then again, the Dark Lord didn't seem like a very celebrationy sort of person who stood outside juggling with sparklers. The twins, however, would most likely spread their fireworks over the whole of Britain if they had any say about it, like they had done in the 'spreading awareness' stage before the Dark Lord had publically announced himself.

None of the Muggles raised their hands, and the meeting was called to a close, although everyone kept hanging around in groups as Voldemort left, Muggles and Death Eaters mingling.

"So, Black… what are you doing here?" a low voice sounded next to him. Sirius turned around, instantly raising all his defenses, facing Rodolphus.

"Lestrange… So, is my lovely cousin not here to lick your master's heels?"

"Bellatrix?" Rodolphus asked, looking very surprised. "You have not heard yet? She's been dead… has been for half a year now."

Sirius blinked, not having expected that. His crazy cousin had always seemed so… indestructible. "I… I'm sorry. Well not really, I hated her guts but my condolences at least. She was your wife… Though you don't look too sad."

"Bella and I were married, but friends at best. Usually she seemed like an annoying, bossy kid. I know it might be awful to say it but I'm relieved that she doesn't constantly hang around anymore… I always had to be careful that she didn't suddenly stand atop a pile of dead bodies."

"I see… Still, it's strange to know she won't ever insult me again. Not that I'll miss it, of course. So, you're single now?"

"Not quite. And you?"

"Yeah… never really time to go on dates when you're a convicted criminal hm?"

"Does you being here mean the Dark Lord will clear your name in the end?"

"Suppose it will depend on how things will go… I don't like Dumbledore, but I don't support you lot either."

At that admittance, Rodolphus' face suddenly closed down. "Ah. I see." Sirius raised his eyebrows at the hostility the other was showing and suddenly recalled that the man had also been in Azkaban for a very long time and had been prone to sudden mood shifts there. The other man coldly turned away and Sirius was left a bit lost, before he turned around as well, seeking the only familiar faces, running after two figures of equal height that slipped through the door of the meeting room.

"Hey, guys, wait up!" he shouted, and they stopped, two pair of brown eyes meeting his.

"Sirius." one of them greeted him.

"So, where are you going?"

"Dungeons," the other answered, more solemn than the man had ever seen them. He opened his mouth, realised he was about to say something stupid and swallowed it again.

"Want any support?" he ended up saying, and they hesitated before finally both nodded.

"Maybe if mum and dad see there are other people of the order here…"
"They might want to listen."
"I've heard Tonks has joined us too,"
"But sadly we haven't seen her yet."

"Tonks?" Sirius asked, astonished. "But she hates the Dark!"

"Maybe the Dark of before, the Dark her parents knew, but not anymore. The Dark Side is a completely different organisation now it isn't run by a madman anymore."

"Says he," Sirius muttered.

"Says Harry… and we trust Harry. If we can't even trust him anymore we might as well not do anything anymore."
"Now, shall we go?"

Sirius nodded and trailed behind them as they walked towards the dungeons, and in that moment, Sirius noticed how much they had grown up. Gone were the awkward, dance-like steps and loud bragging voices. They were dangerous, professional and most likely brilliant too. Their little display during the meeting earlier only served to prove that they were only that outgoing because they liked playing with fire, and tried to push the lines constantly to see how far they could go, even during a meeting with the Dark Lord himself. Now, they weren't joking around anymore, and they seemed chillier than he ever remembered seeing them.

The door leading to the dungeons didn't seem abnormal, and neither did the corridor and stairs after that. Sirius more had the idea of a large storage labyrinth than a maze where prisoners were kept, to his surprise. It was surprisingly clean down here, although still cold and moist, and it was even larger than he'd expected. It took quite a few minutes to finally reach the dungeons where people were actually kept, and yet again he was surprised, as most cells were empty.

The Twins suddenly rushed to one though, clinging onto the bars.
"Mum!"
"Dad!"

Molly and Arthur looked up from the small prison cell, and tried to move forward but were hindered by the shackles around their wrist and very thin wires that seems to cover their bodies. They looked drained, but otherwise fine, and Sirius was glad that they showed no signs of having been tortured, either physically or mentally.

"Boys... oh my boys…" Molly exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "You came... you came to save us?"

"In a way." one of them replied softly, voice sounding like it was on the verge of breaking. The other carefully wrapped an arm about him, but kept silent.

"But you… you joined Him, didn't you? Your fireworks spread across England… everywhere the Death Eaters went." Arthur suddenly said, looking sad.

"Yes. Which is why we are here… we are allowed to be here."

"Please don't tell me that man is so sick as to let our own children torture us…"Arthur replied, face grim.

"Actually,"
"He's surprisingly lenient."
"You would have been killed if it wasn't for us."
"Well, Harry."

"But all of you... why, why did you join Him? You-Know-Who? After everything he's done and destroyed… He is… wait. Sirius? Is that you?"

"Molly… Arthur." Sirius answered, nodding.

"You did this? You worked for Him all along?" Molly asked, suddenly hysterical. "And dragging my children down with you! I knew I had a reason for not trusting you! But how could you?"

"Mum! We aren't here because of Sirius, and as far as we know Sirius doesn't even want to be here!"

"What do you mean?" the short woman demanded, looking fierce even behind bars. "I want an explanation, and I want it now! And… from one of you please, not both at the same time."

"Never at the same time mum!"
"Only after each other!"
"But whatever you want." one finished, shrinking back a bit when glared at. "During summer we overheard some conversations between Dumbledore and other Order members… moody and Mundungus to be specific. They were… not pretty. The only thing Dumbledore cares about is himself, really. To reach his goals, he used others, manipulated them… He'd even gone so far as to use mind magic on us to make us behave. Thankfully, it was easy to break once we knew it was there. He'd also did the same to Ron and Hermione… surprisingly not Harry though, but he was using the rest of us to keep Harry in line. However, during the same summer, Harry came into contact with Voldemort, and was finally told things from a different perspective. We met him too, at Hogwarts, in disguise. He actually broke some memory-locks in Ronniekins' mind that Dumbledore had placed there. He and Harry told us what it is the Dark really wants, and yes, that is exactly the same as what he explained when publically announcing his goals. And there isn't much to be said against his goals, is there? Personally, I'd love to be able to practice magic, even in the presence of Muggles."

"Boys, I admit to having had doubts about Dumbledore and his choices before, and after seeing Kingsley's memories of that announcement, I also wondered why we were opposing it… But look at the first war. He made promises and seemed to strive towards his goals and then he strayed… leaving Dumbledore as the only one to trust, the one who cleaned up the mess after You-Know-Who fell."

"Arthur," Sirius suddenly interrupted. "I haven't joined Voldemort, and I most likely never will, but I don't think things will happen like before. He seems to have gained… feelings, no matter how hard it might be to accept seeing him interact like he is an actual human being. I think that's what the order forgot, and what Dumbledore wanted us to forget. Voldemort is a man, a sadistic, psychotic man yes, but not a monster. He is humans, and humans can change."

"What would be powerful to change him?"

"Harry, of course. Isn't it always Harry?" Sirius smiled, and for the first time since he arrived here, he felt pride swell in his chest.


The world spun as he sat up, colours blurring together. A dull pain throbbed in his head, making it impossible for him to focus on anything. He didn't notice the giant moving shadow until it covered him, and he looked up, eyes narrowed as he tried to keep his pupils fixed on one spot. He closed his eyes again and groaned as he failed to do so. Something cold and hair pushed against his neck, and even through his haze, the man recognised the scales of the dragon he'd spent years with already.

He exhaled slowly, trying to keep his breath regular and calm his brain down. He knew what must have happened… The invisibility shield had been too much for him to take and had magically depleted him, affecting his mind and body as well as he was completely exhausted. He wondered how heavy the backlash would be… His stomach constricted at the prospect of having to go through an ibu at a time like this… Especially now, now he was near his goal… he could not afford losing his magic for some time. It would waste all the time he had gained with the shield…

A low growl sounded in his ear, and he carefully turned around and got up with wobbly legs, holding onto the small spikes on Xaphia's head to steady himself. He breathed in deeply and pressed his forehead against the dragon's snout.

"Hey boy… good to see you're better off than I am." he said, his voice still sounding very weary.

The dragon nudged his head back, and Charlie looked up with confusion, his headache and dizziness finally subsiding a bit. Xaphia looked extremely restless, and nudged him once more with his snout. Finally, Charlie turned around, and the breath nearly got knocked out of him as, from behind a mountain, he could just about see a very familiar lake and the roofs of some towers.

"Hogwarts…" he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "It's been so long…"

He smiled to himself, taking in the sight and placing a hand on Xaphia's shoulder blade, caressing the dark blue scales with the tips of his fingers, loving how the heavy muscles rolled beneath them. He looked at the dragon, whose colour contrasted sharply with their surroundings. It was bright day, probably around noon, and although it was very cold, the sky was blue. Charlie shook his head a bit, feeling blood rise to his cheeks when he noticed he was staring, and Xaphia slightly turned his massive head, looking amused and growling playfully, in a way that made Charlie's stomach clench.

"Merlin what's wrong with me..." he muttered under his breath. To distract himself he drew his wand and tried to cast a Lumos, sighing in relief when a light, albeit weak, appeared at the tip. He yelped when teeth grabbed the hood of his cloak and lifted him in the air, to unceremoniously drop him in between the dangerous spikes on Xaphia's back. He only barely had time to grab onto them before they were airborne. He winced as his headache returned sharply, but tried to ignore the pain in favour of laying his eyes on the appearing castle, which he hadn't seen in five years, when he and some of his colleagues had picked up Norbertina.

He wondered where she and the other dragons were… as far as he'd seen, and could see when looking around, Xaphia was the only one here. It made him wonder why, and he hoped that they had found suitable shelters.

XxX

The magic in the stronghold hung thick in the air, and it felt like he was soaring on a warm wind that caressed his scales lovingly, sizzling over the skin on his wings. He shivered lightly, taking pleasure in it, and in the warm presence on his back, pressed tightly against him. He landed against the steep slope of a mountain, claws seeking fixed rock as small gravel fell down. He clambered up a small ledge, the colour of the stones there camouflaging him. His only worry was that Dragonheart's flaming fur would be noticed, but the usually boisterous stronghold felt empty and cold, only echoes of the many voices remaining, though they were fresh, from little over a week. There was only a handful occupants at the moment, and they had retreated far within the safe walls, their skin vulnerable to the wind and cold.

He turned around and made sure his human was sheltered in between his front legs, back pressed against his plated chest. He could feel the rushing blood, and dipped his head to sniff up the scent of the other, shuddering slightly with desire. Brown eyes suddenly gazed into his, and widened. He bent his neck, his human making an odd sound as Xaphia put his snout against Dragonheart's neck and exhaled slowly, warm breath wafting over the other. He shivered again in delight when his name, the name his human had given him and which he couldn't imitate himself, befell from the other's strange, flat snout, and he put a paw against Dragonheart's back, pressing the human against him, pleased when he grew limp and hugged his neck after only a minute of weak struggling.


To clarify the reason Yaxley was there in case anyone doesn't remember anymore, Harry asked to be taught some more about Wizard Laws, and Yaxley works in Law Enforcement.

And yes, I realise there are some cliffhangers here, but I honestly had NO idea where else to stop :\
urgh, only 2 more exams and if I don't have any re-sits I'll have summer holiday at last!

Apologies if there are any mistakes in spelling or grammar.. I want to go to bed now and I've only reread about 3/4 so there might be some mistakes in the other quarter that I didn't reread after writing..

Read and Review!
xx GeMerope